· South America is the fourth largest continent in the world after Asia, Africa and North America.
· The continents of North and South America are named after the Italian explorer, Amerigo Vespucci.
· Running the full length of South America are the Andes Mountains. · They are the home to the South American Condor, the world’s largest flying bird.
· The largest country in South America is Brazil, covering nearly half the continent.
· The highest mountain in South America is Aconcagua in Argentina.
· The anaconda snake, from South America, is one of the largest and most powerful in the world. An adult snake may be 6 meters long, and weigh 106 kg.
· The highest waterfall in the world, Angel Falls, is found in Venezuela. It is named after the American pilot and adventurer, James C. Angel, who discovered the waterfall in 1935.
· Between Bolivia and Peru lies Lake Titicaca, the largest in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world.
· The Amazon is the world’s second longest river. But in terms of water volume, it is the world’s largest river.
· Brazil is very famous in football; so far it has won the World cup four times.
· Cape Horn is the southernmost point of South America; it has some of the worst storms in the world.
· The largest desert in South America, the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, is one of the world’s driest places. In 1971, rain fell for the first time in 400 years.
· Brazil produces ¼ of the world’s coffee supply.
· Iguacu Falls, between Argentina and Brazil, are considered one of the great natural wonders of South America.
· The mighty Amazon River runs through the center of Brazil. A thick jungle stretches on both sides of the Amazon River. This jungle is known as the Great Amazon Rain Forest, and it is the largest tropical rain forest in the world.
· The Great Amazon Rain Forest is wet and hot. The trees in it grow close together. To clear land for farming, local people are cutting many trees in the rain forest. Scientists are warning and asking them to stop, since rain forests are very important to the world’s climate. Besides, there are many rare plants and animals in the rain forest, and if the people do not stop cutting trees they will be lost forever.
© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
